Amusement ride



Jan. 14, 1958 Filed Nov. 15, 1956 F. A. THUMBERG AMUSEMENT RIDE 5 Sheets$heet l INVENTOR. 24 FRED A. THUMBERG BY CORBETRMAHONEY&MILLER.ATTY

F. A. THUMBERG AMUSEMENT RIDE Jan. 14, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1956 INVENTOR. FRED A. THUMBERG Y CORBETIMAHONEY 8-MILLER AT TYS.

Jan. 14, 1958 AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Nov. 15, 1956 F. A. THUMBERG 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. FRE D A. THU MBERG CORBETT\MAHONEY& MILLER ATTYS 2,819,899 AMUSEMENT RIDE Fred Alfred Thumberg, Columbus, Ohio Application November 15, 1956, Serial No. 622,320 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-36) My invention relates to an amusement ride. It has to do, more particularly, with a portable amusement ride of the revolving type which is suitable for use in amusement parks, playgrounds, street carnivals, etc.

According to my invention, I provide an amusement ride consisting of a revolving framework from the outer periphery of which chairs or seats are suspended by means of pendulum arms which swing inwardly and outwardly as the frame revolves. Special novel means is provided for actuating these arms so that they not only swing in and out to move the chairs in and out but alternate arms swing in opposite directions so that one chair moves inwardly as adjacent chairs move outwardly and vice versa, thereby producing a more amusing ride.

My ride is extremely simple in structure, is completely safe, and can be easily and quickly assembled or disassembled to facilitate movement from one location to another. Furthermore, my ride is easy to maintain and Whenever it is necessary to replace any parts, they are readily accessible and new parts can be substituted with ease.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, the drawings and the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated an amusement ride constructed according to my invention but details thereof may vary. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an amusement ride in which my invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the amusement ride.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail in side elevation of the double crank or eccentric arrangement which is provided for swinging the chairs in and out as the supporting frame revolves.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the crank structure.

Figure 6 is a detail in side elevation illustrating one connecting mechanism for swinging the chair-supporting pendulum arms inwardly and outwardly.

Figure 7 is a similar view illustrating another mechanism provided for swinging the pendulum arms.

With reference to the drawings, in Figures 1 and 2 I have illustrated the general arrangement of my amusement ride. It comprises a base 10 of substantial area which carries an upstanding center support column or post 11. On this center post 11 is mounted the revolving chair-supporting framework which is indicated generally by the numeral 12. The base 10 is of sufficient area and carries parts of sufficient weight to prevent the post 11, and the frame 12 carried thereby, from tipping at all times.

The revolving framework 12 comprises a centrally disposed supporting sleeve 13 which is rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the post 11. The sleeve 13 is maintained in its upper position on the post 11 by means of a thrust bearing 14 held at a proper level by means ball and socket joint 2,819,899 Patented Jan. 14, 1958 of a frame section 15 which extends upwardly from the base 10 and is rigidly secured thereto. The sleeve 13 carries at its lower end a collar 16. Attached to this collar 16 at equally angularly spaced points are the outwardly and upwardly inclined frame arms 17. In Figure 2 I have illustrated that eight of these arms 17 are provided but any number of arms, preferably an equal number can be used. The outer end of each of these arms 17 is attached to a horizontally disposed tie rod 18 which has its inner end attached to the sleeve 13 adjacent its upper end. To keep the arms 17 properly equally spaced, horizontal spacer rods 19 are provided between each pair of adjacent arms 17 at their outer ends. The members 17 and 18 are connected to the sleeve 13 by removable bolts and the members 17, 18 and 19 are connected to each other by removable bolts to facilitate disassembly and reassembly of the parts. Thus, a rigid supporting frame 12 is provided and is mounted by means of the sleeve 13 on the post 11 for rotation about the axis thereof.

The outer end of each frame arm 17 is pivoted at 20, by a removable pivot pin, to a pendulum chair-supporting arm 21, the pivot point 20 being spaced slightly below the upper end of the arm 21. The lower end of this pendulum arm 21 rigidly carries an enclosed chair 22 in which a person may sit, the chairs preferably facing outwardly. For swinging the arm 21 in and out about the pivot 20 an actuating connecting rod 23 is provided for each pendulum arm 21. This rod 23 is radially disposed and has its outer end connected by means of a 24to the upper end of the arm 21.

For moving the rods 23 radially in and out to thereby swing the pendulum arms 21 about the pivots 20, all of these rods 23 are connected at their inner ends to a double crank or eccentric 25. This crank 25 is illustrated best in Figures 3, 4 and 5. It comprises a lower crank arm 26 which is keyed to the upper end of a shaft 27 for rotation therewith and an upper crank arm 28 attached rigidly to the crank arm 26. The shaft 27 is rotatably disposed in the post 11. The lower crank arm 26 and the upper crank arm 28 extend in diametrically opposed directions as shown in Figure 4.

As shown in Figure 5, the outer end of the arm 26 is bolted to the inner end of the arm 28 by means of the clamping bolts 29 which serve to clamp between the arms 26 and 28 a spacer and bearing sleeve 30. This sleeve 30 rotatably receives a collar 31. Half of the connecting rods 23 are connected to this collar 31. This connection is made by means of a pivot block 32 attached to the inner end of each rod 23 and pivoted within a pair of pivot lugs 33, radially extending from the collar 31, by means of a removable pivot pin 34. Thus, these rods 23 are pivoted at their inner ends to the collar 31 for vertical swinging movement.

The other half of the connecting rods 23 are similarly connected to the outer end of the crank arm 28. For this purpose, the arm 28 has a bearing sleeve 35 welded thereto and upstanding therefrom. This bearing sleeve 35 rotatably receives the collar 36 which is like the collar 31. The connecting rods 23 associated with this collar 36 are connected thereto in the same manner as the other set of rods 23 are connected to the lower collar 31. The rods 23 connected to the lower crank arm 26 alternate with the rods 23 connected to the upper crank arm 28. Furthermore, all of the rods in both sets are arranged in pairs of diametrically opposed rods as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The frame 12 revolves at the same time that the double crank 25 is driven. As indicated in Figure 1, as the double crank 25 rotates, the upper end of the arm 21 will be swung outwardly about the pivot 20 by a push exerted by a rod 23 whereas the upper end of the opposed arm 21 will be pulled inwardly about its pivot 20 by the diametrically opposed rod 23 connected thereto.

directions. 23 are connected respectively to the upper and lower crank arms 26 and 28, one rod 23 will swing its arm 21 inwardly while the two adjacent rods will swing their arms 21 gearunit 41 carried by the base it and this gear unit .1 drives an upstanding shaft 42 which in turn drives a gear unit 43 fastened to the upwardlyextending frame portion 15. This gear unit 43 drives the collar 16 on the lower end of the sleeve 13 through a chain and sprocket drive 44 and, therefore, drives the sleeve 13 of the frame 12. The double crank 25 is preferably driven at a higher rate of speed than the frame 12.

It will be apparent that with this arrangement the frame 12 is revolved and simultaneously the chairs22 are swung in and out towards the axis of the frame. Due to the double crank 25, adjacent seats 22 will swing radially in opposite directions, thereby adding to the amusing sensation created by the revolving of the frame 12 and the swinging inwardly and outwardly of the chairs 22. Due to the universal connections 24, the outer ends of the connecting rods 23 can rock vertically and laterally relative to the upper ends of the arms 21, to prevent binding or twisting of the upper ends of the arms 21. Furthermore, the necessary vertical swinging movement of the rods 23 is facilitated by the pivotaiconnections 34 at their inner ends.

In Figure 7, I have illustrated a slightly different arrangement for connecting the upper ends of the chairsupporting pendulum arms 21a, to the support arms 17a. In this case, the upper end of each arm 21a is rigidly connected to a bell crank 50 which is pivoted at 20a to the outer and upper end of the aim 17a. The connecitng rod 23a is connected to the upper-end of the bell crank 50 by means of the universal connection 241:. The double crank unit 25a is the same as before.

With this arrangement, the arms 21a will not only be swung inwardly and outwardly but will also be moved vertically to a greater extent.

movement from one location to another.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An amusement device comprising a frame, a supporting post on which said frame is mounted for revolving movement about the vertical axis thereof, means for revolving said frame on the post, chair-supporting pendulum arms pivoted to said frame for swinging radial movement about horizontal axes, means for positively swinging said arms under control as the frame is revolved, said means causing certain arms to swing radially outwardly while others are swinging radially inwardly and comprising a-crank and connecting rods connecting the crank to the pendulum arms, means for driving said crank independently of said frame and at a different speed said crank being a double crank formed of diametrically opposed crank arms extending in opposite directions from said vertical post axis, certain of said pendulum arms being connected by said connecting rods to the outer end of one of the crank arms and others being connected by said connecting rods to the outer end of the other of said crank arms.

2. An amusement device according to claim 1 in which said pendulum arms are pivoted below their upper ends to the frame, said upper ends being connected to saidconnecting rods.

3. An amusement device according to claim 2 in which said connecting rods are pivoted to the crank for vertical swinging movement and are connected to the upper ends of said pendulum arms by universal connections.

4. -An amusement device according to claim 3 in which the upper ends of said pendulum arms are rigidly connected to bell crank levers which are pivoted to said frame, the upper ends of said bell crank levers being connected to said connecting rods.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

